Egg carton

ABSTRACT

An egg carton formed from foam plastic sheet material, the carton having an improved highly effective latch construction for securing the carton&#39;&#39;s lid closed with its tray portion. The tray carries a latching flap which folds over the front face of the cover after the lid is closed upon the tray. The flap carries lateraly projecting ears which snap into recessed pockets in the lid&#39;&#39;s front face. The carton carries rosette-type cushions shaped to cradle the eggs so as to reduce significantly egg movement when the carton is handled.

[ 1 May 1, 1973 3,441,196 4/1969 Burkett............................9/1969 Andrews....

54 EGG CARTON Inventor: Francis L. Burkett, Breckenridge,

Mich.

The

Assigneez Dow Chemical C p y Primary Exa ninerDonald NOITOH Midland,Mich Attorney-Richard G. Waterman et al.

22 Filed: Sept.27, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 184,166

[57] ABSTRACT An egg carton formed from foam plastic sheet materi-Related U's'Apphcatmn Data al, the carton having an improved highlyeffective [63] Continuation of Ser No. 873,175, Nov. 3, 1969. latchconstruction for securing the cartons lid closed with its tray portion.The tray carries a latching flap which folds over the front face of thecover after the lid is closed upon the tray. The flap carries lateralyprojecting ears which snap 'into recessed pockets in 5 28R 4 6 H35 w d 92 R 2 4 M mm 9 n" 2 n 1" in c "r. "8 e M 1 1 men t e Umh .11] 2 8 555the lids front face. The carton carries rosette-type cushions shaped tocradle the eggs so as to reduce sig- [56] References Cited nificantlyegg movement when the carton is handled.

16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,326,443 6/1967Burkett.................................229/2.5

PATENTEDRAY H913 3,730 420 sum 1 BF 2 INVENTOR. I [2 2 Franc/l5 L.Burke/7 Md 6102M HTTORA/E) EGG CARTON This is a continuation, ofapplication, Ser. No. 873,l75,frled Nov. 3, 1969.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Prior to the present invention it has beencustomary to form egg cartons with a latching flap extending from thetray which, when engaged with the lid cover, secures the lid in a closedposition with respect to the tray. However, in those which have hadsignificant commercial success, the latching flap has extended inwardlyof the lid so that the lid cover snaps over the latching flap whenclosed. One example of such an egg carton is that illustrated by U.S.Pat. No. 3,326,443, granted in the name of the present inventor. The onechief disadvantage of such an egg carton construction is that when onehandles the carton the tendency often is for the fingers to grab hold ofthe lid along its bottom flange. If the latches are not secure enoughthis will cause the lid to open, permitting the tray to drop and spillthe eggs.

Other attempts to solve this problem have not resulted in a simplelatching mechanism which can be readily adapted to present handlingtechniques or dont permit closely nested stacks of cartons prior totheir being filled. For the first time, it has been discovered that alatching mechanism can be achieved which is sturdy, easily handled andavoids the problem of accidentally opening the carton by grabbing thelower edge of the cover flange.

Due to the varying sizes and shapes of eggs and the limited sizes of eggcartons which can be made available from a practical standpoint, it hasnot been uncommon for an egg not to fill completely the carton cell andthereby rattle around and crack its shell or that of an adjacent eggduring transport. It has been found that this undesirable and costlybreakage can be reduced or eliminated by the present invention with useof strategically located and especially shaped cushion pads of foammaterial formed integrally with the basic egg carton structure.

Briefly, the invention comprises an egg carton having a tray portionwith egg cells, and a lid hingedly connected along one flange of thetray. Along the opposite edge of the tray is a hinged flap. The cartonis closed by first closing the lid down against the tray and bringingthe flap up over the front wall of the tray. The flap has ears which areresilient and snap into a recessed pocket along the front wall of thelid. The flap is reinforced,

' and is designed for easy finger opening by pulling the latch away fromthe front wall of the lid. The resilient character of the plastic foammaterial forming the carton uniquely lends itself to this kind ofconstruction although a carton formed from a material such as fibrouswood or paper pulp may also be made in accordance with the presentinvention. If one were to grab the carton about its middle portion alongits front wall, one would be pulling up on the latching flap and furthertightening the engagement of the lid with the tray, rather than pullingagainst the lid to accidentally urge the carton open.

The egg cells include pads of foam material formed integrally with thebasic egg carton and in a rosette configuration. The resilient pads allinclude a bulbular portion inclined from near the outer edge of therosette towards the center to cradle the egg in the center of the padsand cushion the same, the cushions being naturally adjustable to acceptvarious sizes and shapes of eggs. Opposed pads in the lid and tray serveto accomplish the cradled condition.

Yet additional objects and advantages of the present invention are evenmore apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing inwhich like characters of reference designate corresponding material andparts throughout the several views thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an open egg carton constructed according to theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view of the latching flap ofthe carton of FIG. 2 with the latching flap engaged with the lid coverand about to be opened;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3 only showing the latch opened;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along theline 55 off FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along theline 6-6 of FIG. 5, and including a portion of an egg shown in phantom.

Michigan and identified as Styron 686 polystyrene resin. The carton 10basically comprises a tray 12, a lid 14 and a front flap 16, the lid andflap preferably hingedly connected to opposite sides of the tray 12. Thegenerally elongated rectangular tray 12, as illustrated, has one dozenegg cells 18 in a two by six arrangement. Other arrangements, such asthree by four, are also possible. The carton 10 is basically formed intoshape from the sheet material by known thermoforming techniques.

One of the unique features of the present invention resides in the waythe lid 14 fits with the tray 12 and is held in closed engagementtherewith, and is readily and easily opened. When the lid 14 is closedupon the tray 12, indents 20 in bosses 22 along the front wall of thelid slip over bosses 24 to form a secure mating and aligned relationshipbetween the lid and tray portion of the egg carton 10. Because thelateral extent of the boss 24 is only slightly less than that of theindents 20, lateral shifting or skewing of the lid 14 with respect tothe tray 12 is prevented when the carton is closed. The height of theboss 24 is such as to render it difficult to permit the indent 20 toslip over the boss 24, as is readily illustrated in detail in FIG. 5.

After the lid is closed, flap 16 is brought upwardly about the frontwall 26 of the lid and is engaged therewith to secure the lid 14 closedwith the tray 12. To permit the flap 16 to come over the lid, a hingesection 28 is double creased and of a width so that it can foldoutwardly, upwardly and over the lower edge 30 of the lid front wall 26.

Flap 16 includes a main body portion 32 from which two outwardlylaterally extending ears 34 and 36 extend. The flaps main body portion32 is comprised of two surfaces 38 and 40 which meet at an obtuse anglealong edge 42. The two angular surfaces 38 and 40 serve to furtherrigidify the flap 16. In the center of body portion 32 is a recess 44 inwhich a finger or a thumb can fit to push the flap upwardly, inwardlyand closed against the lid 14. Ears 34 and 36 are outwardly flaringbeing wider at their top 46 than at their bottom 48. This permits theouter edge 50 of each of the ears to be disposed at an acute angle A soas to engage securely the front wall 26 of the lid 14.

Adapted to receive ears 34 and 36 are complimentary pockets 52 and 54 inlid front wall 26. Pockets 52 and 54 includes faces 56 and 58,respectively, which faces are designed to overlap the edges 50 of theears. To accomplish this, the corresponding distance between the faces56 and 58 is less than that between the outer edges 50 of the ears 34and 36.

Complimentary with the body portion 32 of the flap 16 is a surface 60along the front wall 26 so that the interior recess of the centerportion 32 can fit over the surface 60. Surface 60 is notched at 62 toreceive recess 44 of the flap 16. However, the notch 62 is moreextensive in size than that needed just to receive the recess 44 so asto permit a finger to enter between the front wall 26 and the flap 16 inorder to pull the flap 16 from the front wall 26, as shown in FIGS. 3and 4, respectively. The lateral width (dimension B) of each of thepockets 52 and 54 is preferably slightly greater than the materialthickness of the ears of 34 and 36 to permit ready tucking in of theears 34 and 36 behind the portions 56. If desired, the outer edge 50 canbe slightly angled inwardly, as at 66, to further eliminate interferencenear the bottom of the flap ears 34 and 36 and thereby facilitateclosing the flap 16 into recesses 52 and 54.

In a preferred embodiment of the application, the dimension C from theouter tips 67 and 69 of ears 34 and 36, respectively, can be about Ainches, and the dimension F of the front wall pockets 52 and 54 at thepoint they receive the tips 67 and 69 of the flap 16 can be about 5 9%inches. The comparable distances between lower ends 71 and 73 of theears 50, and corresponding distances between the pockets 52 and 54 canbe about 3 /2 inches and 3 4 inches, respectively. The dimension Dbetween the upper ends of faces 56 and 58 can be about 5 inches. Theacute angle A of the ears 34 and 36 and the pockets 52 and 54 can beabout 30. In one specific example, the height of the flap was about I 4inches.

Egg cells 18 in tray 12, and the lid 14, carry with them superexpandedpads 64 and 68 arrayed in the form of winged rosettes, whereby eggs areheld relatively immobile during carton handling despite their particularsize or shape. The superexpansion can be carried on by the sametechnique as taught in US. Pat. No. 3,396,868. However, the egg cellpads 64 and the lid pads 68 differ from those shown in the prior art inthat they are in a winged rosette array which cause the oval ends of theegg to center in each array. The crosssectional shape of the winged pads64 and 68 are such that they have a bulbular portion towards their outerend and slide downwardly toward their middle 72 so as to guide an end 70of an egg towards that middle. The lid pads 68 are generally opposed tothe cell pads 64 and co-operate with the top end of the egg in the samefashion as the pads 64 do with the bottom of the egg.

Thus, each egg is effectively cradled between the top and bottom padsand centered so as to be held relatively immobile once the lid isclosed. The cushion character of the pads allows them to be depressed tothe necessary degree so as to compensate for varying sizes and shapes ofeggs. Because of this the egg will not rattle around or crack its ownshell or that of an adjacent egg during handling. The rosettes may have4, 5 or any other number of pads in its winged arrangement, as is foundeffective to do the job.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown forthe purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Accordingly, what is claimed as new is:

1. A plastic egg carton having a tray like base, a lid covering the topof said base and including a front wall portion, a front flap, said basehingedly connected with said lid and flap on opposite sides thereof,said flap having a length greater than its width and including earsprojecting outwardly laterally at its ends, said front wall portion ofsaid lid including pockets extending substantially along its height,said flap extending upwardly over the front of said front wall portionwith said ears engaged within said pockets when the carton is in aclosed position, each of said ears and said pockets being outwardlyinclined from their lower to their upper extent for a wedge fit whenengaged, the resilient character of said ears permitting the flap to bereadily engaged and disengaged from said pockets to effect closing andopening of said carton.

2. The plastic egg carton of claim 1 wherein said pockets include faceportions behind which said ears are held within said pockets, thelateral distance between said face portions being about one-fourth inchless than the lateral distance between corresponding portions of saidears.

3. The plastic egg carton of claim 2 wherein the width of each of thepockets is slightly greater than the material thickness of said cars soas to permit ready tucking in of said ears behind said face portions.

- 4. The plastic egg carton of claim 1 wherein the main body portion ofsaid flap is comprised of two angular surfaces to rigidify the same, andsaid front wall has a surface contoured to be received within theangular interior of said main body portion of said flap.

5. The plastic egg carton of claim 4 wherein there is a notch in saidsurface of the lid front wall whereby a finger can enter between thefront wall and the flap in order to pull the flap from the front wall.

6. The plastic egg carton of claim 5 wherein said main body portion ofsaid flap includes a recess mating within the notch of said lid frontwall, which recess permits ready pushing of the flap upwardly, inwardlyand closed against the lid front wall.

7. The plastic egg carton of claim 1 wherein bosses project upwardlyadjacent the front wall of said tray portion and mate within indentsadjacent the front wall of said lid to form a secure and alignedrelationship between the lid and the tray portion when the carton isclosed, the lateral extent of each said boss being only slightly lessthan that of each said indent, with the height of each said boss beingsufficient to render it difficult to permit the indent to slip thereoverwhen the carton is closed.

8. A foam plastic egg carton having a tray like base, a lid covering thetop of said base, a plurality of egg cells formed in said base, aplurality of superexpanded winglike pads being integrally formed withthe bottom of said egg cell walls, said pads being in a rosette array,each of said wing-like pads having a bulbular portion towards its outerend and inclined toward the middle of the array forming an inclinetowards the center of the rosette array so as to guide an egg towardthat middle.

9. The plastic egg carton of claim 8 wherein said lid includes a rosettearray of pads similar to those in said egg cell and disposed oppositelyeach of said egg cells whereby opposing sets of said pads cradle an eggin each said cell.

10. An egg carton having a tray like base, a lid covering the top ofsaid base and including a front wall portion, a front flap, said basehingedly connected with said lid and flap on opposite sides thereof,said flap having a length greater than its width and including earsprojecting outwardly laterally at its ends, said front wall portion ofsaid lid including pockets extending substantially along its entireheight, said flap extending upwardly over the front of said front wallportion with said ears engaged within said pockets when the carton is ina closed position, each of said ears and said pockets being outwardlyinclined from their lower to their upper extent for a wedge fit whenengaged, the resilient character of said ears permitting the flap to bereadily engaged and disengaged from said pockets to effect closing andopening of said carton.

11. The egg carton of claim 10 wherein said pockets include faceportions behind which said ears are held within said pockets, thelateral distance between said face portions being about one-fourth inchless than the lateral distance between corresponding portions of saidears.

12. The egg carton of claim 11 wherein the width of each of the pocketsis slightly greater than the material thickness of said ears so as topermit ready tucking in of said ears behind said face portions.

13. The egg carton of claim 10 wherein the main body portion of saidflap is comprised of two angular surfaces to rigidify the same, and saidfront wall has a surface contoured to be received within the angularinterior of said main body portion of said flap.

14. The egg carton of claim 13 wherein there is a notch in said surfaceof the lid front wall whereby a finger can enter between the front walland the flap in order to pull the flap from the front wall.

15. The egg carton of claim 14 wherein said main body portion of saidflap includes a recess mating within the notch of said lid front wall,which recess permits ready pushing of the flap upwardly, inwardly andclosed against the lid front wall.

16. The egg carton of claim 10 wherein bosses project upwardly adjacentthe front wall of said tray portion and mate within indents adjacent thefront wall of said lid to form a secure and aligned relationship betweenthe lid and the tray portion when the carton is closed, the lateralextent of each said boss being only slightly less than that of each saidindent, with the height of each said boss being sufficient to render itdifficult to permit the indent to slip thereover when the carton isclosed.

1. A plastic egg carton having a tray like base, a lid covering the topof said base and including a front wall portion, a front flap, said basehingedly connected with said lid and flap on opposite sides thereof,said flap having a length greater than its width and including earsprojecting outwardly laterally at its ends, said front wall portion ofsaid lid including pockets extending substantially along its height,said flap extending upwardly over the front of said front wall portionwith said ears engaged within said pockets when the carton is in aclosed position, each of said ears and said pockets being outwardlyinclined from their lower to their upper extent for a wedge fit whenengaged, the resilient character of said ears permitting the flap to bereadily engaged and disengaged from said pockets to effect closing andopening of said carton.
 2. The plastic egg carton of claim 1 whereinsaid pockets include face portions behind which said ears are heldwithin said pockets, the lateral distance between said face portionsbeing about one-fourth inch less than the lateral distance betweencorresponding portions of said ears.
 3. The plastic egg carton of claim2 wherein the width of each of the pockets is slightly greater than thematerial thickness of said ears so as to permit ready tucking in of saidears behind said face portions.
 4. The plastic egg carton of claim 1wherein the main body portion of said flap is comprised of two angularsurfaces to rigidify the same, and said front wall has a surfacecontoured to be received within the angular interior of said main bodyportion of said flap.
 5. The plastic egg carton of claim 4 wherein thereis a notch in said surface of the lid front wall whereby a finger canenter between the front wall and the flap in order to pull the flap fromthe front wall.
 6. The plastic egg carton of claim 5 wherein said mainbody portion of said flap includes a recess mating within the notch ofsaid lid front wall, which recess permits ready pushing of the flapupwardly, inwardly and closed against the lid front wall.
 7. The plasticegg carton of claim 1 wherein bosses project upwardly adjacent the frontwall of said tray portion and mate within indents adjacent the frontwall of said lid to form a secure and aligned relationship between thelid and the tray portion when the carton is closed, the lateral extentof each said boss being only slightly less than that of each saidindent, with the height of each said boss being sufficient to render itdifficult to permit the indent to slip thereover when the carton isclosed.
 8. A foam plastic egg carton having a tray like base, a lidcovering the top of said base, a plurality of egg cells formed in saidbase, a plurality of superexpanded wing-like pads being integrallyformed with the bottom of said egg cell walls, said pads being in arosette array, each of said wing-like pads having a bulbular portiontowards its outer end and inclined toward the middle of the arrayforming an incline towards the center of the rosette array so as toguide an egg toward that middle.
 9. The plastic egg carton of claim 8wherein said lid includes a rosette array of pads similar to those insaid egg cell and disposed oppositely each of said egg cells wherebyopposing sets of said pads cradle an egg in each said cell.
 10. An eggcarton having a tray like base, a lid covering the top of said base andincluding a front wall portion, a front flap, said base hingedlyconnected with said lid and flap on opposite sides thereof, said flaphaving a length greater than its width and including ears projectingoutwardly laterally at its ends, said front wall portion of said lidincluding pockets extending substantially along its entire height, saidflap extending upwardly over the front of said front wall portion withsaid ears engaged within said pockets when the carton is in a closedposition, each of said ears and said pockets being outwardly inclinedfrom their lower to Their upper extent for a wedge fit when engaged, theresilient character of said ears permitting the flap to be readilyengaged and disengaged from said pockets to effect closing and openingof said carton.
 11. The egg carton of claim 10 wherein said pocketsinclude face portions behind which said ears are held within saidpockets, the lateral distance between said face portions being aboutone-fourth inch less than the lateral distance between correspondingportions of said ears.
 12. The egg carton of claim 11 wherein the widthof each of the pockets is slightly greater than the material thicknessof said ears so as to permit ready tucking in of said ears behind saidface portions.
 13. The egg carton of claim 10 wherein the main bodyportion of said flap is comprised of two angular surfaces to rigidifythe same, and said front wall has a surface contoured to be receivedwithin the angular interior of said main body portion of said flap. 14.The egg carton of claim 13 wherein there is a notch in said surface ofthe lid front wall whereby a finger can enter between the front wall andthe flap in order to pull the flap from the front wall.
 15. The eggcarton of claim 14 wherein said main body portion of said flap includesa recess mating within the notch of said lid front wall, which recesspermits ready pushing of the flap upwardly, inwardly and closed againstthe lid front wall.
 16. The egg carton of claim 10 wherein bossesproject upwardly adjacent the front wall of said tray portion and matewithin indents adjacent the front wall of said lid to form a secure andaligned relationship between the lid and the tray portion when thecarton is closed, the lateral extent of each said boss being onlyslightly less than that of each said indent, with the height of eachsaid boss being sufficient to render it difficult to permit the indentto slip thereover when the carton is closed.